Omo Valley

The Omo Valley has two great qualities that draw visitors to its its remote location - wilderness and the diverse cultures of its people. The region has two national parks, the Mago and Omo itself - wild emptiness more than classic game viwing safari country. The Mursi, Suri, Nyangatom, Dizi and Me'en people of the Lower Valley of the Omo have each been studied for their distinct traditional culture.

The Omo River is a perennial river flowing south from the Shewan highlands to Kenya's Lake Turkana. A drop of some 200m over its 760 kilometers makes it a fast running river with good rafting at its highest during September and October. Creeks, rapids, sheer canyons, waterfalls and hot springs create a fine river adventure with abundant wildlife - colobus monkey, colourful birds, monitor lizard, bushbuck and hippo.

Limited choice of roads effectively determines the tour circuit which should be timed to meet at least one of the big weekly market days. A minefield of local regulations and expectations make a guide essential for a comfortable trip. March to June and in October are best avoided as likely rains can make travel all but impossible south of the main Konso-Jinka road. Visitors have the option of travelling with their vehicles from Addis or flying into Jinka to meet the vehicle.

Although sparse in population, the region is archaeologically rich with hominid remains dating back 4 millions years.